Springtime Longings
by shikonnollama
Summary: The well has been sealed for a year, and Inuyasha still sits by it day by day, dreaming of reuniting with Kagome. When Inuyasha falls ill, he begins to realize that he must come to terms with Kagome's absence. Inuyasha starts to learn the importance of his friendships with Sango and Miroku as he relies on them to care for him. Set in the time lapse in Toward Tomorrow. T for swears.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Inuyasha, this is written for enjoyment, I make no profit off this story.

Ch. 1

The well; the portal between time and space, the red string of fate that tied Inuyasha to his beloved Kagome, was now sealed. The square wooden shape sat in it's field, a solitary figure of both joy and regret to the half-demon who now crouched a yard away from the structure. The half-demon's odd ears laid against the boy's head as though they were hiding in his thick white mane, a habit they were prone to when Inuyasha sat in this position. The well was his only companion in the grassy field, just the way he liked it The hanyou's friends knew to stay away from the area when Inuyasha was around, nothing could change the solitary habits he had acquired throughout his harsh life.

Inuyasha stared at the wooden well, the amber eyes gazing, lost in thought. He began to daydream, and could almost imagine Kagome's presence suddenly appearing from beneath the grassy area. He could almost feel her hand in his as he clutched it desperately, and he could almost taste her vanilla hinted scent as he held her close in tight embrace. _If Kagome returned, I don't think I'd ever let her go... _He thought, imaging the scenes in his mind he so desperately craved.

The half-demon sighed, rubbing his forehead with a clawed hand. Boy, did his head hurt. It must be from the pollen, he guessed. The spring flowers were beginning to bloom, causing a great deal of sniffling from the villagers. Shippo always seemed to have a runny nose as well. Inuyasha huffed before standing from his usual crouch. It was already almost noon, and Inuyasha was expected back at the village to leave with Miroku for and exorcism right after lunch. Inuyasha knew he stayed by the well almost every day for hours, but this was the first time he had been here since midnight. The hanyou's ears twitched at the sudden dizziness he felt as he stood, something like that never happened to him. _"Damn allergies... _"Inuyasha mumbled, brushing off the throbbing pain in his head. His nose sniffled once before turning around and heading towards the direction of his home village.

* * *

Hidden behind a door-mat, and hunched over a pot of rice bubbling over sparking embers, Kaede, the village's priestess, sat preparing lunch. The old woman enjoyed this time of day, when everyone was out minding their businesses, whether they were working in the rice paddies or cooking the family midday meal; it gave Kaede a quiet moment to herself as she chopped up vegetables and tended to her "family's" lunch. An old geezer like her needed a moment away from little Rin and all the other rampant children, and not to mention rogue half-demons, at least for a short while. Kaede sighed contentedly as she finished up her meal of rice and vegetables, just as the rustles of a straw mat caught her attention. She glanced up to see none other than Sango, the young girl's bulging abdomen proof of her upcoming first child. Kaede could suspect there might be twins on the way, other wise her stomach wouldn't be so huge after this short period of pregnancy.

"Ohayō, Lady Kaede," Sango said, stepping into the hut Kaede took residence with Rin. Rin had only just moved in with the old lady a year ago, and and the two had been living happily.

"How are you feeling today, Sango?" Kaede asked as greeting. The slayer complained of back pains yesterday, and Kaede subscribed her some herbs to ease the pain.

"Much better, thank you. I feel great!" She exclaimed, before helping the elderly woman prepare lunch by supplying plates and cutlery.

"Have you seen Inuyasha today? He hasn't shown up at all in the village this morning."

"I'm afraid I have not, child," Kaede replied, "Knowing him, he's probably by the Bone Eater's well."

"Yes, he's been spending most of his time there, it seems. I really feel bad for the guy; you can tell he's different now. He seems... sadder," Sango said, rubbing her swollen abdomen.

"Aye, he is, and it's not healthy. I know it's going to be hard for him, but he has to grow over this and move on. Kagome was a step in his life, it's time he passed on from it," Sango hummed in agreement. But on the inside, she feared that the poor half-demon might be starting to return back to his old self, the person he was before Sango, Miroku, or even Kagome had met him. She really hoped that he knew his family is still right next to him. Sango, Miroku, Kaede, Shippo, Rin, the whole village for that matter, were right next to him; All of them; his family.

* * *

Leaning against the newly built hut, Miroku gazed at the beautiful spring sky, lost in thought. This was the hut he, Sango, and Inuyasha had built themselves, along with the adjacent one, made for Inuyasha and sometimes Shippo, should the little demon visit from his fox demon training. Both houses he was very proud of creating; it was a sign he had finally finished his family's task, had finally ended the three generation's long curse. Thinking of family, his mind drifted to Sango, and the bundle she was now carrying. He remembered how both excited and anxious he was at the news of their first child. He even went drinking with his best friend, Inuyasha, as celebration. Sango wasn't happy the next morning when she had to deal with both a hungover monk and half-demon all day. Miroku chuckled at the recalled memory. Times were much easier these days, without the burdens of the Wind Tunnel, or the constant chasing after their nemesis, Naraku.

Upon hearing footsteps, Miroku turned his head to see Inuyasha trudging lazily towards him. Miroku couldn't quite say, but there was something off about the way he was swaying slightly. Was his skin paling? No, it must be my imagination. Miroku concluded, deciding on a trick of the light as an answer to Inuyasha's pale complexion.

"Hey Miroku..." Was Inuyasha's bored greeting as the half-demon placed his crossed arms behind his head, rocking his body back and forth on the balls of heels. Miroku smirked at his trying-to-be-cool attitude the white haired boy always portrayed.

"I can smell that lunch is ready, Inuyasha. Do you want to eat before heading out to exterminate?" At Inuyasha's uninterested nod the two made their way to Kaede's hut.  
Miroku cast a worried glance at Inuyasha as the hanyou swayed a bit as he walked, as though he were dizzy. Yet Inuyasha's face, besides the paleness, seemed to be showing no signs of pain.

"You're quiet today, my friend. Are you feeling well?" Miroku said, making conversation on their short journey to the house.

"Why the hell wouldn't I be?" Was the snappy retort. Miroku knew to wait instead of speaking. And sure enough-

"... It's just allergies..."

"Hmm."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"  
Miroku chuckled at Inuyasha's familiar hotheaded-ness. "Oh nothing. Look! Here we are!" He said, pulling back the curtain and stepping inside with his friend.

* * *

By now, Inuyasha's head was really pounding, and he had yet to admit this was worse than the average seasonal allergy. The half-demon shuffled through the straw mat of Kaede's house and sat himself down on the wooden floor, seclusion himself in a corner away from the rest of the inhabitants. It was then that the bubbling little Rin bounced in, back from playing with other village children. Her new kimono looked as though it was sparkling, the intricate designs scattered across the navy blue out fit like actual stars, and the yellow sash accented the outfit beautifully. It was obvious that Inuyasha's brother chose the dress carefully, it was definitely the highest of quality. Kaede and Sango served everyone their lunch, and they then took their seats and began the meal. Inuyasha sat cross-legged, staring at the heavy food in his hand. He definitely did not have the appetite to stomach this, an unusual thing for the half-demon who could eat raw meat like it was nothing. He settled with turning the rice and vegetables around in his bowl with his chopsticks, not wanting to worry anyone; he wasn't in the mood to deal with humans coddling all over him like he was dying. A half-demon can recover from anything, I'm fine. He thought, even though he could feel his pounding headache increase by the demi- hour. He watched the others eat there food patiently, both dreading and looking forward to the extermination Miroku and him were conducting at a nearby village after their meal. Inuyasha wondered if he should stay home and rest, maybe his headache would be gone by then... The notion was soon dispelled as Inuyasha thought about how annoying both the old bag and Sango would be worrying over him.  
The others placed their bowls down, and Inuyasha did the same, leaving his where he sat, hoping to leave before anyone noticed his untouched meal. He stood and called to his friend as he stomped out of the wooden hut.

"Come on, Miroku! I'm leavin' without you!"

"Hai," Miroku replied following the half-demon out of the hut after saying his goodbyes.

Miroku glanced out of the corner of his eye he noticed the untouched bowl the hanyou left before the straw flap shut, blocking his view to the inside. Miroku then raced to follow Inuyasha, but not without a hint of worry that he now felt in the pit of his stomach for his friend.

**A/N: This is my first story published, criticism is welcomed, and suggestions for future chapters will always be considered. I write for your enjoyment; any ideas you want to see incorporated I will always be interested in. Mistakes are all mine, I have no idea how to get a beta. **


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

_Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!_

The vulgar mantra repeated endlessly inside the irritated hanyou's mind. He should have just stayed home, he realized. By now he felt as though he could barely stand. He could tell Miroku knew something was up with the feverish half-demon, and so he tried his best to feign perfect health; he sure as hell didn't want to seem like a sissy in front of the perverted monk. The village they were traveling to was a close distance away, it had only taken a twenty five minute walk down a set path, and that Inuyasha was grateful for. The headman greeted them at the entrance to the small town.

Inuyasha left it to Miroku to make all the transactions with the short elderly man. He knew how much the lecher loved to raise the prices to absurd sums. The hanyou glanced around the town, still a little uneasy with how unquestioningly all these people accepted the halfbreed after the evil Naraku was finally pacified. Not that he was complaining, of course.

The village was small, whatever they were fighting mustn't be very large. Otherwise a minuscule place like this would be devastated by now. Hopefully the creature plaguing the town would just be some stupid badger youkai or something. A simple whack in the head would finish a petty demon like that, and then they could go home.

"...Inuyasha? Inuyasha!"

"Huh?" The hanyou jumped slightly, he had completely been in a daze it seemed. Miroku seemed to have sensed this, and reiterated what the headman had told the monk.

"The demon is a tiger youkai, and its den is located at the edge of the forest. Headman Hiroshi says he will lead us there," Miroku said, eyeing Inuyasha somewhat oddly.

"Feh."

The two followed the shriveled headman, Miroku both chatting with and scamming the headman, persuading him that his ridiculously high sums were necessary all the way from the entrance of the town to the edge of a small forest, which was located behind the neatly aligned rice paddies. Inuyasha's head was pounding the whole way still.

"Do you see that cave, good monk? It nest is yonder that crevice, deep inside." Miroku's staff jingled as he approached it, Inuyasha by his side. The headman stepped back, explaining he will be preparing the payment for them, a ridiculous sum of five _masu_ of rice the monk and the headman has decided on.

The rock structure that the two then approached looked as though it were made of boulders that had fell against each other, and moss had growing around it over time. Its depth couldn't have been more than a hundred feet at most. What a perfect place for a demon to hide itself. Inuyasha could already smell the scent of tiger flooding the cave. He unsheathed his phantom sword, Tetsusaiga, before entering ahead of Miroku through the small hole of the cave. Behind him, the monk reached for his sacred sutras.

"It should know we are here by now, I can smell some fear. Be on your guard, monk. I ain't saving your ass if it claws your eyes out," Inuyasha said, wanting to get this over with. He felt suddenly very cold, an odd thing for such a warm spring afternoon. He could sense movement in the cave; now wasn't the time to lament upon his ailments.

"Watch out, Inuyasha, it is probably waiting to attack us from inside the cave," Miroku cautioned, sensing the shifting movement as well. Trying to lure the youkai out of its den was something a demon slayer like Sango would be able to do. Neither Inuyasha or Miroku had the equipment to conduct such an scheme, so attacking the demon in its home turf was the way to go.

They entered the cave and were covered by a dim light. The sunlight shining from outside the cave provided little help inside the crevice. Suddenly, a low growl could be heard from the cave's belly. Inuyasha raised his sword. A wind scar would probably cause a cave-in; his best option was to slice-and-dice the monster, something he would have looked forward to if his head wasn't paining him so much. The tension rose as Inuyasha and Miroku stood back to back ten meters away from the entrance, the weak light from it shining off of Inuyasha's sword and the monk's golden staff. Hardly enough light to see clearly. The half-demon swayed slightly, his dizziness obvious. This was definitely not what Inuyasha wanted to be doing just now.

* * *

Miroku glanced over his shoulder, Inuyasha seemed to be rocking back and forth, whether it was because of anxiousness or otherwise, the monk couldn't say in the darkness. The low growling that could be heard deep within the cave increased in decimals as the tiger approached, obviously it was attempting to scare the two exterminators into leaving its territory. This duo would not back down so easily. His grip on his gold staff tightened, the ornaments made small jingling sounds that echoed throughout the crevice, and into the cavern before them. A demonic aura was steadily approaching.

"Inu-"

"Shh!" Inuyasha snapped, his sword rising. The hanyou could sense the tiger demon, it was very close.

"It's here," Was all Inuyasha said taking a step in its direction, shivering slightly from the freezing temperature he felt. The tiger's growl turned into a roar, and that was the last sound heard before it lunged. Inuyasha gasped, leaping back a yard and dodging a large paw.

The tiger demon was massive. Miroku ducked from the claws that missed Inuyasha and headed straight for him, then rushed to his friend's side. The dimly lit area gave off just enough light to show the animals massive muzzle, at least twice the size of an average tiger. The duo could tell its coat was beautifully patterned with the signature tiger stripes, albeit the fur was sinisterly coated in blood. _Hopefully not blood from any villagers,_ Miroku thought.

* * *

The paw that was aimed for Inuyasha's head nearly gave him a heart attack as he barely managed to dodge it. He should have sensed the creature's charge before it startled him so. After recovering from the attack, Inuyasha instantly sprung into counter-attack. His brain instantly repelled at the quick movement, but for now that pain could wait. He lunged the Tetsusaiga's dully shining blade at the beast, only to find it had already moved and was charging at Miroku. The monk easily stepped out of the way, and flung a sacred sutra towards the savage animal. The demon writhed in pain for just a moment, and Inuyasha knew that moment was just long enough for him to give a final blow.

"Go, Inuyasha!" Miroku called, and Inuyasha sprung forward.

With his Tetsusaiga above his head, Inuyasha growled as he flung his sword down upon the creature, his hands more sluggish than his usual swiftness. The blade pierced the youkai's back, a clean cut into a vital organ. But Inuyasha wasn't expecting what was to happen next. The demon reared onto its hind legs, blood sprinkling from its new wound, and slashed at the bewildered half-demon, its claws raking his lean chest.

Thankfully, the attack was the demon's death throes; after striking, the tiger fell to the ground unconscious. Inuyasha fell to his knees in exhaustion, trying his hardest to overcome the pain best he could. Miroku was instantly at his side, calling his friend's name. Inuyasha's head hurt to much by now to respond, so he only groaned. His chest was steadily trickling blood, but Inuyasha could tell it wasn't anything too serious. Well, Inuyasha hoped it wasn't anything too serious.

Inuyasha could sense Miroku's closeness, he was talking into a flattened ear, but his words made no sense to the hanyou. It was after he took a deep breath and calmed his nerves in the slightest did everything make some semblance of sense to him.

"Inuyasha, can you hear me?" Miroku's voice sounded frantic, his fear evident.

"Uh... Yeah," Inuyasha mumbled. "My head hurts," He admitted to his friend, glancing at the monks worried facial expression, light beads of sweat dripping down the monk's cheek. Inuyasha shivered slightly, and could feel that out of the four scratches on his chest, only one had pierced his lungs. Without his robe of the fire-rat, the damage could have been much worse. For that Inuyasha was grateful, he would heal much faster.

The young monk rushed to his friend's side. Inuyasha was hunched over in pain, his clawed fingers on his head. He could placed his hand on the half-demon's shoulder, practically yelling his name. Miroku could barely make out Inuyasha's mutter of acknowledgement, and when the hanyou turned his head to glance at the monk, his eyes looked as though they were glazed over with a fever of some sort. Miroku grimaced at the aching look he gave him, not used to the hanyou ever showing such pain.

A warm, tentative hand was placed on Inuyasha's forehead, he didn't so much as flinch. His skin was as scalding as hot coals. Miroku withdrew his appendage in shock.

"Inuyasha, you're burning up! Can you stand?" There was a moment's pause before Inuyasha gave a slight nod. The half-demon shifted his body, trying to stand, and Miroku placed an arm underneath his friend's robed shoulder, helping him to his feet. He then half dragged, half carried Inuyasha as he wavered in and out of consciousness.

"Come on, Inuyasha, the village isn't far. Try to stay awake," Inuyasha made a small sound of agreement in response. He and Inuyasha then started a slow walk out of the cave, and back across the fields of rice paddies to the village.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. A Masu, for those who would like to know, is a unit of measurement used in feudal Japan that is equal to about the amount of rice an average man eats a day. I've tried to fix formatting for this chapter, but I'm not sure if I succeeded or not. As always, suggestions and criticism are very much appreciated. Next chapter coming soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

A cool hand could be felt on the half-demon's forehead, and Inuyasha reflexively relaxed underneath the touch, still not fully out of an unconscious slumber. The hanyou felt confused, to say the least. Had Naraku attacked their camp? Did they find the demon's castle? Where was Kagome?

Inuyasha's furrowed as the hand on his head moved away, the heat overwhelming his mind once again, clouding his thoughts. It was strange, really. He had no memory of even a scent of Naraku nearby. Were they ambushed? If that were the case, the others could be hurt right now!

Inuyasha tried to open his eyes, letting a small noise of frustration when he was unable to do so. He started fidgeting around, finding his numb body had very limited movement. Suddenly, Inuyasha let out a gasp. His chest burned as though it were set on fire from the unwarranted movement from the half-demon. He could feel a hand over his chest, keeping him from injuring himself more. Exhausted, Inuyasha stopped struggling, his mind settling down from the frantic waves of panicked emotions to an eerie calm. As his mind drifted back into a slumber, he could have sworn he could feel a cool hand clutching on to his clammy, feverish one.

* * *

The moon had finally taken the sun's place for its night vigil over the peaceful town.

Miroku sat by his friend as the hanyou twitched in his sleep. The monk had gotten them a room in the headman's house for the night, and the two now inhabited one of the lavish guest rooms. The monk wrote a short letter and sent a young village boy back home to let Sango know what had transpired that day. Miroku hoped Inuyasha would be well enough to make the short trip home the next morning, and fully recover in the comfort of his own village. The headman's wife, a helpful, bright middle-aged woman, had helped Miroku in wrapping Inuyasha's torso in clean, white bandages. By now, the linen was starting to stain red, they would have to be changed out for fresh ones soon. Miroku leaned forward, placing a hand on Inuyasha's head when a small groan was heard from his friend.

His skin was clammy with a sheen of sweat, and his fever seemed to have and no change for the past few hours the half-demon had been under. Miroku withdrew his hand and noticed Inuyasha stirring, the teenager's eyebrows scrunching up in pain. He placed a hand over his collarbone when Inuyasha began struggling weakly, preventing further injury. The half-demon was most likely confused. He removed his arm when Inuyasha seemed to have calmed down.

It was a strange sight, watching the seemingly invincible hanyou lay bedridden with fever. The amber eyes that never missed a thing were now closed, his thick eyebrows scrunched in pain, his lips opened in a pained pant. Miroku prayed to the Kami who watched over him to help his dear friend. The monk reached his right hand out to clutch Inuyasha's, his palm sweaty and feverish compared to his healthy, firm one. Inuyasha's furrowed brows began to calm as he drifted back into unconsciousness. Miroku squeezed the clawed hand before releasing it and grabbing the water basin nearby, wetting a wash cloth to cool his friends fever.

* * *

Inuyasha ran through an unfamiliar forest, sprinting as fast as the wind itself. Behind him he knew, without glancing, that evil was at his heels. If he were to stop, it would be the end. The deep forest before him was dark, but he ran ahead anyway. His ears twitched at the sound of a familiar voice calling out. A shriek of his name resounded through the black trees. The voice was unmistakably hers. It was Kagome.

Inuyasha tried to gain speed, but was strangely unable to do so. All of a sudden, the unfamiliar trees gave way to an all too familiar clearing. In the center of the clearing, the dry Bone Eater's well stood. Inuyasha turned his head to find the forest gone, replaced by a darkness similar to the Meido Zangetsuha his Tetsusaiga could produce.

Evil laughter filled the area, and Inuyasha snapped his head back to the well, and saw none other than Naraku hovering over the wooden structure, a sinister smirk drawn upon his features. Inuyasha gasped to see what his nemesis was holding. Kagome was held in his hands, blood trickling down her beautiful porcelain cheeks and covering her dark ebony hair.

_She was dead._

Inuyasha fell to his knees. Kagome was dead; gone from his grasp forever. There was no point in fighting, no one left to protect. His head lowered in despair. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see ugly tentacles racing in his direction, ready to end his life, not that it mattered to the hanyou anymore.

Right before the appendages reached his body, two terrified screams filled the air. They were the voices of... of-

_Who were they?_

Inuyasha gasped. How could he have forgotten?

_Miroku and Sango._

The two were both fighting ferociously for the half-demon, but it was all too late. He had forgotten them, ending his life without even a thought to the only two friends he'd ever had. The tentacles pierced his body, and Inuyasha awoke screaming, a single tear trickled down his fevered cheek.

**A/N: Apologies for shortness. Thank you very much for reading. Next chapter soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

At some point after replacing Inuyasha's bandages did Miroku drift off into a light, uneasy sleep during the night. He sat crossed-legged, his back propped up by the wooden wall of the room, his staff balanced in his arms. Inuyasha slept, twitching every now and then on a futon in the corner. The bandages on his bare chest were not showing any signs of blood; the wound must have closed overnight. Miroku's even breaths and Inuyasha's heavy, labored ones were the only sounds perpetrating the room.

A scream suddenly erupted from the sick half-demon, and he bolted awake, sitting up in fear. Miroku snapped his eyes open, wide awake and startled, he turned to see Inuyasha, leaning on one arm for support and the other clutching his abdomen, his eyes closed in pain. He rushed over to his friend's side.

"What is it, Inuyasha? Is your chest alright?" Miroku asked frantically. The monk couldn't help but notice the single tear that was making a slow descent down Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha relaxed slightly, and upon noticing the trickling liquid he rubbed at it aggressively before replying. The voice he spoke with was all too quiet for the half-demon that Miroku knew.

"... It was just a dream," he stated, more to himself than to the monk. Inuyasha glanced around the room; obviously he was confused with the unfamiliar surroundings. His glazed amber eyes seemed fearful, as though he were searching for something, and afraid he couldn't find it.

"Where's... Where's Kagome...?"

Silence.

Miroku didn't know how to answer. Obviously Inuyasha wasn't in the right state of mind. The half-demon's arms moved to rest on his crossed-legged knees before a look of understanding etched itself upon his features.

"Oh. Never mind." He said, his plump lips contorting into a signature pout, as though nothing bothered him. Miroku could clearly tell otherwise. The monk then took the moment of silence to explain to his friend what had happened leading up until now. Inuyasha remembered most of what had occurred, yet some moments felt a little surreal to him. Especially the events leading up to the attack. He couldn't even recall the tiger demon injuring him at all.

"So, I had hoped that if you were well enough, we could return to the village later today? Kaede and Sango must be worried about you."

"Keh!" Inuyasha said, though it lacked its usual roughness. "I can walk back just fine. A little cold never killed no one. They have nothing to worry about."

"Inuyasha," Miroku said calmly, "You've been unconscious for at least twelve hours. That's hardly what I would call a 'little cold.'" Inuyasha replied with silence, his shoulders dropping into a sulk. The hanyou could feel his head pounding, he really needed to lie down. He prodded at his bandages, he could feel the wound was healing, albeit slower than his usual miraculous recovery times.

"Feh... Whatever, we'll head back at noon. I'm gonna sleep till them," Inuyasha decided, not giving his Miroku the chance to object to the hanyou's decision.

"I'll let the headman know our plans, then," Miroku said, standing and stretching before leaving the room. Inuyasha laid back down upon the cushioned futon, rolling over and falling once again into sleep; a dreamless one this time.

* * *

The two had left the village that afternoon, as planned. The headman's wife had reluctantly allowed Inuyasha to go. She pleaded that he wasn't well enough to travel, yet Inuyasha persisted in getting out of the village as soon as possible. They had offered to lend the two a horse, to which Inuyasha refused flatly. After promising to take it slowly, Inuyasha and Miroku made their way back to Kaede's village. Miroku was very concerned for Inuyasha the whole way, he expected him to collapse at any moment. But Inuyasha made sure to keep himself independent, refusing all offered help from his friend. The monk grimaced at each wince of pain or involuntary groan the hanyou made, but he knew he could do nothing to make the stubborn white-haired boy change his mind once he was fixated on accomplishing something.

The whole way back, Inuyasha cursed. He cursed that stupid village, he cursed the dumb tiger demon, he cursed the person who came up with illnesses-

But most of all, he cursed himself.

He was infuriated he didn't say anything to anyone until the tiger demon attack. He should have told someone, let them know he wasn't feeling well before he was lying in bed sick like a weakling human. Maybe it was just now that he realized how much he needed to fix his trust issues he had with everybody. With Kagome, he wasn't afraid to talk to her, or anyone else in the group of friends he had accumulated for that matter. After she went back to her time, he realized how reclusive he had become. To give the half-demon credit, his attitude was much better than before he had met the future girl, but much improvement was still needed before he could trust someone fully like he had Kagome. But none of that could be changed now, he thought, struggling his way back to the village.

_You made this damn bed, now go ahead and lie in it,_ he told himself.

And so, his head pounding, his chest burning, he dragged himself home. He was in too much pain from the exertion to care about Miroku's concerned glances now, or how refusing his help would probably make things much worse for him; right now he only cared about not collapsing then and there.

* * *

When Sango saw the two had finally returned, she ushered them both into her and Miroku's house, insisting the hanyou to stay with them rather than his own hut for the time being. Inuyasha agreed, only because his sheer exhaustion from the trip kept him from complaining as much as he wanted to.

The ex-demon slayer made him lie down on a bed roll she set up for him and proceeded to check his wounds. She was glad to find that they were healing well, albeit at a much slower pace than usual. She sent Miroku to bathe while she tended to the hanyou; the dried blood on the monk's robes was still there from yesterday's events.

Since Naraku's defeat, and with it Kagome's disappearance, the demon slayer had grown more motherly and caring for her dear friends. Especially since her pregnancy, when Miroku and Kaede both insisted she abandon her demon slaying duties, she had grown very accustomed to a quiet village life, only rarely missing her old job as a taijiya. She had to admit, fighting demons was her most favorite thing in the world; but what she enjoyed even better was living a full, happy life with Miroku, and also soon her children.

As she wrapped her friend's chest with clean linen, she realized it would be better to use antibiotic for the wound. She knew that half-demons was immune to many diseases and infections humans could catch easily, but as sick as he was, she decided it was better to put antiseptic over the gashes before bandaging his abdomen.

She went to ask Kaede for some sort of antibiotic for Inuyasha's wounds, leaving the sick hanyou alone in the wooden home. He lay, dozing but not entirely asleep, upon the warm futon. His pale cheeks were tinted red, a sign of his high fever. It was clear he was getting worse by the hour. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. Only one word, or name rather, was thought in his terribly clouded mind.

_"Kagome..."_

* * *

When the young woman returned she brought with her a bucket of water and washcloth to cool his fevered skin. Her fair hands made contact with his clammy head and he shivered, as though he were cold. How on Earth could Inuyasha be freezing if his skin was so excruciatingly hot? She withdrew her palm and brought a damp cloth to his head, trying to bring the fever down.

Sango was always a sympathetic person, she pitied even the demons she had slaughtered throughout her days. Right now, she felt so terribly bad for the poor half-demon before her. All his life, Inuyasha must have faced terrible hardships. Being a demon slayer, she knew all about where hanyous stood on the food chain in the youkai world. The woman shuddered to imagine how hard his childhood could have been, all alone...

Sango sighed, illness was the last thing Inuyasha needed in his life. It was then the thought hit her.

_What if Inuyasha doesn't recover?_

Immediately, she tried to expel the ludicrous suggestion. This was the half-demon who was sealed to a tree for fifty years we were talking about, he could overcome anything, right?

_That's right,_ she thought,_ Inuyasha can survive anything, this has to just a passing cold._

Sango brushed her hands through her friend's snow-colored hair, it was sweaty and clinging to her fingers. She re-wrung the washcloth and placed it against Inuyasha's brow.

* * *

Miroku was lying if he didn't say he wasn't worried about Inuyasha. He is half demon, he should be immune to common colds, viruses, and bugs that ordinary humans have. To be sick, especially with a fever so high, was concerning, to say the least.

But what type of virus could affect Inuyasha so badly? When Miroku felt Inuyasha's burning skin, it was like an inferno. A human with a temperature as bad as his would be on their death bed! There was also the possibility that whatever was plaguing the hanyou was a demonic disease. There were very few types of illnesses demons could get, but it was still possible. Or maybe, this was an ailment that exclusively effected half-demons...

There were many possibilities, so the monk decided to leave them all be for now, returning to the hut. He felt much better now that he had been cleansed of all the sweat and dried blood that had been on his clothes. By now it was late at night, Sango had been tending to Inuyasha for hours. He sat himself down on a tatami mat, placing his damp hair back into its usual knot. Across from him, Sango sat dabbing at Inuyasha's forehead.

"Any improvement?" Miroku asked his wife. She shook her head, replying softly.

"No, but I fear he is getting worse. His fever has increased noticeably since you left," she said, not looking up from her friend's pale sleeping face. Miroku slid himself over to sit next to Sango, wrapping an arm around her waist as he leaned his unoccupied hand over to the hanyou's brow. It was true, his condition was steadily declining. Miroku was transfixed by the his friend's shallow pants, he was obviously in discomfort. Miroku's arm dipped lower down his wife's body stroking her behind nonchalantly. Sango swatted at his arm as though second nature, which by now it probably was.

"Hardly the place for that, monk,"

"Of course," he said, standing and taking his wife's hand, leading her to her feet and toward their futons they shared.

"It's late, Sango, you should get some rest now. I'll stay up a little longer and watch over Inuyasha," he said, pulling her into his arms. She squeezed him close in a tight embrace for a moment before placing a light peck on his lips. The bulge he felt in her abdomen as he held her filled him with such a joyous emotion. He was overcome with happiness at the thought of the child that was on its way.

"Okay," she said, glancing back to Inuyasha before settling herself on their white futon. Miroku gave her a reassuring smile before taking her place at Inuyasha's side. He took the wash cloth from his friend's sweaty brow and dipped it back into the cool water before placing it back on his head. Sango was right, the fever was higher than when he last remembered,

_May you get better soon, Inuyasha,_ Miroku thought.

"Goodnight, Miroku," Sango said.

"Sleep well," he replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Things had gotten bad for Inuyasha. Very bad.

The young hanyou had been bedridden for a week, and his health had only declined since. Most of the time he slept, his face contorted in both pain and fear at whatever nightmares were plaguing his feverish mind. Other times, Inuyasha's glazed eyes peaked out from behind his heavy lids, awake but not fully lucid. If he spoke it was to ask for water, or he uttered an undistinguishable lyric from a fevered dream. He would glance at whomever was at his bedside as though he had no recognition of who they were before drifting back into his fretful sleep. By now, neither Sango or Miroku would never leave his side, worrying that if they were to turn their backs for but a moment, the half-demon would be lost to them forever. Neither could bare the thought. And so, here Miroku sat, lifting Inuyasha's head up and forcing a liquid medicine down his throat, praying to the gods it helped.

Kaede checked on him everyday, sending Rin running in and out of the small house with cloths, blankets, and towels. The medicines they gave him were only doing so much, and the old woman feared the herbs she owned were not enough for the sick boy. How they all wished Kagome was here, both to look after her beloved Inuyasha, and to care for him with her futuristic medicines. How amazing it was that a small white capsule could bring down a fever and heal the ill in hours!

Miroku sighed for what seemed like the billionth time that day. How had everything gotten so bad? Life was completely fine the way it was until those few days ago. What was to become of his best friend? The monk had no answer to his questions, he dabbed Inuyasha's forehead with a washcloth and let out yet another sigh...

* * *

To Inuyasha, the time seemed to have slowed into a trickling stream of agony.

He seemed to be fluttering in and out of dark place, a place that every time he entered, he seemed to forget more and more of himself with each passing. It was Kagome's face that appeared to him the most when he dreamt, something that brought him comfort. But with that comfort a layer of pain and longing overlaid. How desperately he wished to wrap his arms around her, how desperately he wanted to just gaze upon her smile. Inuyasha was in agony, both physically and emotionally. Kagome wasn't there. It wasn't Kagome sitting at his bed day by day. Those hands that he felt caring for him, delicately brushing his hair, or stroking his cheek weren't hers, they were the hands of a hands of someone he had yet to know who.

It was true, Inuyasha had no idea who it was by his side all day, caring for him as tenderly as his mother did. In the short moments he did open his eyes to glance at the person next to him, the bright lights and colors that met his amber gaze made his vision fuzzy. He could only make out the black hair and pink kimono of a tender woman or sometimes the dark robes of a young man. He felt he should know these people, but his mind was too fogged with dark clouds to make a connection to anyone familiar. And so he let it be, drifting in his solitary state of mind, his only companion the ghostly visions of Kagome's sweet smile and warm heart.

In this state of mind he was trapped in, dreams seemed to be more real than reality. The scents, sounds, and other sensations multiplied exponentially, a bad thing for experiencing nightmares. Most of his dreams were reliving moments he had experienced. Some were with his mother, back when he was a child, but most were with Kagome. One thing in common with both was almost every dream ended with death. It seemed as though the nightmares which spelled out his beloved's demise were mocking him, showing him how terrible a job he did protecting her when he allowed Naraku to make his wish on the jewel; ultimately plunging Kagome back into her time forever. There were many dreams where he stood by the well, Kagome in his arms, dead from Naraku's sinister touch and covered in sticky red blood. By now, Inuyasha didn't know if she were really dead or alive. It was as though her passing into the well back to her time was a silly dream he made to hide the reality. Was it truly reality? He didn't know anymore. All he knew was everything hurt.

The one thing that was the most similar about all his realistic nightmares were the two figures he glimpsed at every time his visions faded. In the beginning, he recognized them both immediately as his companions, but now he couldn't even see their faces. Was it really true that he knew them? Or were they imaginary, just things created to mock his mind, taunt him into insanity?

He didn't know.

He just didn't know anymore.

* * *

Sango brushed a lock of Inuyasha's hair award from his cheek as he twitched fretfully, obviously in the middle of a nightmare. The ex-demon slayer so desperately wanted to shake him awake, to see his brilliant golden eyes snap open and instantly start up cursing at her and pouting his usual scowl. She just wanted the old Inuyasha back! She pulled her hand back when he sputtered, his eyes fluttering open and squinting sightlessly at her chocolate-brown eyes.

"How are you feeling, Inuyasha?" She inquired, hoping he was really conscious, not just mindlessly gazing.

"Ngh... Where am I...?" The hanyou sputtered out, his voice scratchy and sore. He hacked violently, and Sango helped him sit up, leaning on him on her body for support. She rubbed his back as he coughed, cooing soothing words into a white dog ear. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, exhausted, as the coughing died down. _Coughing... this isn't good_, She thought. She made a mental note to tell Kaede this. His lungs could be full of germs, making it hard for him to breathe.

Sango could hear him speaking to her, his voice a weak whisper. She had to strain her ears to catch his murmurs.

"Kagome... Did you come back?" Inuyasha mumbled, his head lolling as though he had no strength to keep it up anymore. The circling of her cool hands upon his heated back stopped, and she leaned him tenderly back onto the bedroll, blushing. He thought she was _Kagome!_

"Don't leave me again... Please," he said, his eyes closing as he flew back into his unconscious state of mind. Sango frowned, did he not recognize her at all? Maybe he couldn't see her well, she contemplated. _That would explain his dazed expression,_ she thought. Still, it saddened her to see her best friend not know who she was. Miroku entered the thatched hut, and she explained to him what had happened.

"I see," he responded, not looking up from his half-demon friend. "Why don't you go get a breath of fresh air, you've been here for hours."

Sango nodded, standing and stepping out of the small house, rubbing her developing chile tenderly. The sun was setting on the eighth day of Inuyasha's illness as she stepped into the cool spring air.

**A/N: Next chapter I am hoping for Inuyasha to wake up and be lucid, maybe. Does anyone think I should include Sesshomaru into this story? Or maybe Shippo? Thank you for reading. Next chapter soon.**


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

Another week had gone by, but to Inuyasha, time didn't seem to pass on at all.

The first thing he noticed, upon opening his eyes, was how filthy he felt. The sweat made his white kosode shirt cling to him when he tried to move, a very uncomfortable feeling. His first cohesive thought was how good he felt to be out of that strange place that haunted his sleep.

Well, it felt good until he realized how much everything hurt.

Reaching a hand to his head, he groaned. A gasp from the other side of the room, followed by hastened footsteps alerted him to the presence of another occupant. Was it Kagome? Had she come back to him?

"Inuyasha! You're awake!" A woman's voice said.

No, it couldn't be her. That wasn't her sweet melodic voice.

Inuyasha's blurry vision didn't allow him to make out who the dark-haired person was, but she was indeed familiar.

"Mmm..." He responded, massaging his temples. Man, was his throat scratchy.

"I'm thirsty," he breathed, letting out a weak cough.

"Of course. Hold on a moment please," Inuyasha could hear some shuffling, and he turned his head to try and make out what was going on. His vision was returning slowly, and he could now make out the woman's warm brown eyes as she helped him sit up and handed him a glass of water. He crossed his legs and downed the glass in seconds, holding it to her for more, which she complied. By now, he could see almost everything clear, and glancing at the woman before him did he realize that he knew her, and he knew her well.

_But why couldn't he remember her name!?_

Inuyasha's mind could only draw a complete blank. The half-demon knew she was a companion of his, one that he had travelled with for a long time. _With Kagome,_ He recalled. He remembered many moments with this young woman. He remember the emotions he felt around her, and her flowery scent, but he couldn't recall anything else. Not her name, not her past, nothing. Was it amnesia? He could only gape at her as she began speaking to him.

"You had Miroku and I worried that would never wake up," she said in a quiet tone. Inuyasha's mind stumbled on the name she mentioned. _Miroku?_

Memories of countless battles suddenly came flooding back to him. Memories that had slipped away while he was sleeping. Killing Water Gods, slaying demonic sages, battling Naraku time upon time...

"Sango!" He couldn't help but exclaim her name when it snapped back into place.

"Y-yes?" She stuttered, surprised by his outburst. Inuyasha looked down, cheeks reddening slightly with embarrassment.

"Nothing..." He spoke, his voice an undertone from the soreness. "How long was I asleep?"

Sango didn't answer immediately. If she were to tell him the truth, he wouldn't take it too well. He gave her a glare, impatient for his answer. She swallowed.

"About... About two weeks," she finally said, and, right on cue-

"_What!?_"

Inuyasha was surprised, but on the inside he was relieved. In the captivity of his feverish mind and terrible nightmares, days had drawn themselves into an eternity of darkness. If he had had to live in those dreams any longer, he probably would have lost his sanity, if he hadn't already, that is. What seemed like years to him was really only two short weeks for the world. At least he wasn't in one of those "coma " things that Kagome had once explained to the group when they were helping a victim of a demon attack. People who experienced one of those could sleep for months at a time, he recalled.

"We were glad when your fever lowered last night, it was getting worse with each day's passing," she explained. She then leaned forward and put her hand on his head, surprising Inuyasha with the sudden closeness. He didn't turn away though, enjoying her cool hand on his head; it reminded him of Kagome's kind touches she used to give him often.

"Your temperature is still very high, how are you feeling?" She asked, pulling her hand back. Inuyasha scratched his head, he could feel that usual pounding, and the room seemed too cold for his liking.

"Why's it so cold in here..." He mumbled, not wanting to say his uncomfortableness directly.

For Sango, the room was sweltering. She and Mirou had kept the fire going with the hopes that Inuyasha would sweat the fever off. It seemed to have helped a lot, the hanyou had woken up a day later.

"Inuyasha, it's at least ninety degrees in here."

"Oh, is it?" That was strange, he could feel the sweat on his skin, but shivers still ran down his spine.

"I'm kinda tired," Inuyasha admitted, letting out a cough. His voice felt better after drinking water, but he could still feel a pressure in his lungs. How weak he must be to tire out after just having a simple conversation?

"Why don't you sit down, then. When you wake up, I'll make you some soup to eat, okay?" Sango said, forcing him back on the sheets with a firm hand. Inuyasha didn't complain to that, his heavy lids were already drooping. His last thoughts were how much Sango's fair hands felt exactly like Kagome's warm touch. It's been so long since he had seen her, he felt so alone. What even happened to her? Did she die? He had forgotten by now, his nightmares interchanging with reality.

This time, when Inuyasha slept, no dreams came.

* * *

Sango stood in the Bone Eater's well's solitary clearing. It had been so long since she had come to this spot. She had left Inuyasha to sleep, he would be fine by himself for now. Miroku was out performing an exorcism, and he wasn't due back until the next morning. It was only sunset in the grassy plain. Sango walked up to the mystical structure slowly and placed her fingers on the edge. How amazing it was that this simple well could transport two people back and forth through time! The ex-demon slayer had never seen the world on the other side, but the stories Kagome told her about it were simply amazing.

The young woman rested her body on the wooden frame by her forearms, leaning her body over the gaping hole. With the setting sun's dim light she could just make out the cobbled stones that worked their way down to the dry abyss. Glancing down she was met with oblivion.

Nothing.

It wasn't like Sango expected to see Kagome at the bottom, it just surprised her at how ordinary the well seemed now. It had always looked this way, but now that it was sealed, it had an even more trivial appearance to it than before. It no longer held a certain captivation that always had her gazing down its surface like it once did when Kagome was here.

Sango sat herself down on the edge, her legs dangling into the deep darkness. She reflected on the first conversation with Inuyasha that she's had in weeks.

At first, when he looked at her, his confused gaze scared her. He was definitely thinner, his rib cage now very noticeable, and his skin held a sickly yellow tone to it. His eyes seemed dull, as though he's lost a part of himself. The way he stared at her, the way she could see his the gears in his mind turning, trying so desperately hard to remember a name.

He had forgotten her.

He had forgotten her and she knew it. The ex-demon slayer swallowed, forcing back the bile in her throat and the tears in her eyes. Inuyasha was her best friend, how can he forget a companion he had lived with for years? It wasn't right, this illness wasn't right. Inuyasha can't just get sick, he's stronger than that.

Her hands squeezed the edges of the hard well. Had Kagome not been trapped in her world, would all this have happened to her hanyou friend? She tried to think of a time she saw Inuyasha's truly happy smile, a time when he enjoyed his life. All the times she could recall were from that long time ago, when _she_ was still by his side. Why couldn't Inuyasha realize he wasn't alone? Did he not share that bond that both Sango and Miroku felt with him?

"Oh, Kagome," Sango said aloud, talking to the depths beneath her.

"Come back to us, please," She could feel her voice choking up.

"He needs you now more than ever,"

He really did.

"Please, Kagome, come home!"

Sango finally let the diamonds she had collected trickle down her cheek, all her frustration she felt falling with them.

** A/N: Next chapter will be more focused on Miroku and Inuyasha, and the one after that I am planning on bringing back an old friend. Poor Inuyasha won't be getting better just yet, I'm afraid. Thanks for reading, and look forward for the next addition! **


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

Inuyasha lay propped up against the wall in the corner of the room. He had just taken a bath, and, even though his skin felt better than it had in days, it had completely depleted him of energy. He now lay dressed in a simple cotton yukata, his clothes too filthy to continue to wear without cleaning. Inuyasha wasn't very happy with being cooped up in this small area, the four walls felt so claustrophobic. He was alone in the warm hut, a blanket wrapped over him. He felt weak.

Whenever he tried to stand, or even lift himself off his pillow, waves of nausea would hit him with a powerful punch. That half-demon couldn't even eat without the assistance of the other occupants of the house. The two caring for him had barely left his side, both an annoyance and something he had to be thankful for.

_Sango and Miroku._

The names felt foreign on his tongue. Every time he awoke from a nightmare, the memories they had made together seemed to slip further and further away from his grasp. Strangely, he could still remember every moment with Kagome; every battle, every argument, every conversation...

The sensation of oblivion in his mind whenever he tried to recall moments with the young couple made his head hurt. The moments were still in his mind, he could recall only a few if he concentrated hard, but they were locked tightly. Inuyasha knew who they were, and why he knew them, but after that, only select few memories could come back. And even worse, he forgot more and more every passing day.

It seemed the more memories that slipped away from him, the more room his brain had to remember other people, specifically Kagome. It was her face he thought of most when he sat awake, too weak and feeble to to anything else. Inuyasha felt useless.

Sometimes, when Sango would prod him awake to sip some broth, he could almost see Kagome's soft eyes hiding behind Sango's chocolate gaze. He could see Kagome every time he closed his eyes, mocking him with her kind smiles. Every time he slept, Inuyasha could see her, far away in the distance and sometimes right up close. Some of his nightmares had Kagome trapped in Naraku's clutches, dying before his eyes. Others, Inuyasha held her already lifeless body, tears dripping down his cheeks. It was making him insane. Or maybe, it was making him see the truth.

Kagome was dead.

Every passing nightmare only could convince him more and more of the fact. Inuyasha had no one. No one except these practical strangers. They both cared for him, they loved him and treated him like a real person, not just some half-demon. But Inuyasha felt distant from them now, too many memories were gone. The bonds between them were breaking, slowly but surely.

* * *

When Miroku returned from performing an exorcism three days ago, the first thing that he met upon his return was his hysterical wife. She was very distressed, fearing that Inuyasha had forgotten them. Miroku, not knowing what to do, had comforted her and said they'd keep an eye on him, to make sure if this were true or not. That was all they could do.

The three days that had passed since then had resulted in small improvements in Inuyasha's health, he could sit up and hold small conversations now. But still, the monk couldn't detect any signs of amnesia. Yet.

Miroku entered his home, pulling back the straw door. Sango was out doing the laundry by the creek and Kaede was tending to villagers on the other side of town. The cool after-noon air seeped into the stuffy room. Inuyasha sat in the corner he had now claimed, his eyes closed but not asleep, propped up against the wooden wall. He cleared his throat to alert his presence, Inuyasha's amber gaze opened slowly to meet him.

"How are you doing?" He asked. Inuyasha looked at him for a moment, staring as though he hadn't heard. It took him a second before answering.

"Feh. Everyone's been asking me that lately," he said, crossing his arms. Inuyasha had since recovered from the tiger demon's attack, but there were still light scars running down his chest, covered up by his white yukata. These were the first scars Miroku had ever seen on his hanyou friend's body; usually injuries like these healed themselves the next day. The monk eyes met with the half-demon's sunken, dull ones. It was time the monk confirmed something.

"Inuyasha, I have to talk with you," he started, clearing his throat and taking a seat next to his friend.

"What is it?" Inuyasha asked, curious.

"Do you remember that time, long ago, when my wind tunnel was injured by that praying mantis demon?"

"Uh... Yeah," Inuyasha muttered, unsure but trying to cover it up by confirming.

"Those demons at master Mushin's temple had surrounded me, I had to use my wind tunnel even though it meant my eminent death," He waited for a reply from Inuyasha. He received none.

"Do you remember what you said to me when I couldn't hold on any longer? When my wind tunnel was moments away from taking me away from this world?"

"No, not really. What did I say?"

The monk smiled, remembering the nostalgic moment.

"Hm. I believe what you told me was: 'If you try to use that stupid wind tunnel again, I'll tear your stupid arm off!'"

Inuyasha didn't reply, gazing at the floor. The only sound he made was his heavy breathing. Miroku sighed. _Does he even know what I'm talking about?_

"Inuyasha, do you remember what happened after that? Anything at all?"

Inuyasha's lips formed into a pout, not responding. He didn't have a clue about what had happened, the memory repressed somewhere in his sickly mind.

"It was the first time you used the Kaze no Kizu. The Wind Scar," Miroku said, appalled that Inuyasha couldn't remember such an important moment.

"Oh."

The half-demon's prolonged silence unsettled Miroku. It seemed like yesterday that the hanyou couldn't stay still at all. Now, Inuyasha could barely move, he looked like a corpse. His hair had fallen out in some parts, giving him a ragged appearance. His eyes had sunken in, and he had grown very thin, refusing all foods except thin meat broths. It pained Miroku to see him like this, it truly did. And not only was his friend physically handicapped, he also was having a hard time remembering things.

Hopefully Inuyasha hadn't forgotten too much; he seemed to remember names just fine. Did he remember Kagome? Miroku decided to change the subject, Inuyasha was growing distant.

"I hear that Shippo's fox demon training ends tomorrow. He will probably be here around sundown," Miroku said. Sango had told him this morning. Even though he was happy to hear the good news, it had added a bit of nervousness in his stomach. How would Shippo react to Inuyasha's illness? Being so little, he might not understand.

Inuyasha barely recognized the name. He remembered Kagome holding a little fox demon. _Oh yeah_, he recalled, _that's Shippo. _He remembered how the little fox would tease him, making him angry and causing Kagome to "sit" him when things got too rough. Painful as the outcomes were, they were fond memories. Shippo had been away training for fox exams for months.

"Really? That's good," he said, responding. He was tired now. Miroku could sense it. He stood up, leaving to help Sango and let the hanyou rest.

"You sleep now, Inuyasha. I'll see you in the morning," Miroku said, brushing off his robes and stepping out of the enclosure. Inuyasha had fallen asleep by the time the door had shut.

Sango was right when she said he had forgotten things. Luckily, it wasn't as extreme as Miroku had thought; he had seemed to remember Shippo, and he knew what Miroku was talking about when he had mentioned the Wind Scar for his Tetsusaiga.

This still didn't make him feel any better, though. Inuyasha was forgetting things, that was now fact. Hopefully Inuyasha will remember his friends. Kagome may be gone now, but Sango and Miroku were staying forever.

**A/N: This chapter was strangely hard for me to write. I started writing it at 10:30, its 4:30 right now. But I promised myself to finish it, so here it is. And yes, Shippo will be appearing next chapter. I am considering writing Sesshomaru into the story, but I'm still not sure. Thank you for reading, next chapter will be out by Monday.**


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

The following morning, Kaede came to visit, as she did daily, with herbs and medicine. This time, when she entered, she clutched two of Kagome's old ailment books in her hands. Shortly after the young schoolgirl had come to this world, she had brought these books for Kaede to help diagnose villagers with strange illnesses and infections. Most of the images in the book were of conditions she had seen before but never knew the names of. These thick, heavy books worked very well for spotting diseases and illnesses uncommon to people, but to treat them was a different story. Cures like "penicillin" and strange antibiotics were usually what was required, and Kagome told her that these were medicines that won't exist for hundreds of years. At least they helped Kaede become aware if the ailments, and, if she studied the book's futuristic phrasings and characters hard enough, she could make up her own cure based off of the readings.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," she greeted.

"Feh," was his reply. The old woman sighed, he was still as crude as usual, it seemed.

Almost immediately, Kaede and Inuyasha started and enormous argument over forcing the half-demon to drink his medicine, but this had become the norm. After forcing every last drop of the vile potion down his throat, Kaede began a long Q&A session with Inuyasha. Inuyasha was mesmerized by Kagome's books. He didn't look up once from the shiny pages and neat, printed characters.

_How long has this been hurting? Have you been bitten by anything poisonous? Have these symptoms been occurring for long?_ By the time the old woman had finished, Inuyasha wanted to tear his brains out from the endless stream of questions. Kaede could see this as she finished up, and so she collected up her supplies and left him to sleep, returning to her own hut.

She had found nothing like Inuyasha's sickness at all. Nothing could cause a memory loss like the hanyou was experiencing.

Kaede had decided that whatever was plaguing the hanyou boy wasn't a human disease. Also, since Inuyasha hadn't been bitten by anything strange, or inhaled any strange fumes, it was not a result of poisoning. A large possibility could be that Inuyasha had caught either a demonic ailment or something that was exclusively half-demon. But what could be so strong as too invoke something like memory loss? Whatever it was, the old woman was going to have a hard time curing him; demons and humans didn't exactly swap healing techniques around here.

Kaede decided to keep skimming through the large books. Maybe, even if she couldn't find Inuyasha's ailment, she could at least figure out some sort of medicine that could ease the pain.

His condition was very fragile, it could be only a few short weeks to spell out his demise. If he were to be cured, speed was necessary.

* * *

The clouds whizzed above the young fox-demon's head as he flew on his toy horse. He could tell a rainstorm was on its way. The sun was completely covered by gray overcast. That didn't deter the little demon, though. Shippo was very excited; today he he was coming home after his long time away training for fox-demon exams.

The fox kit had been far from the Musashi area, where his friends Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha now lived. He had travelled up to north, to rendez-vous with his fox companions and train. This year, they had learned how to trick people using things like heat and steam for concealment and effect. Shippo had had a blast, and now he knew dozens of new 'games' for his fox-demon exams and, not to mention, to use on a certain half-demon. Oh yes, he was going to have a great time testing out his new tricks.

His village was coming into view, and the excitement he felt started to bubbled in his belly. He wondered how Sango and Miroku were doing. When he left he had heard talk of a baby on the way. Was it already born yet? He hoped not, he wanted to be there when it came.

Shippo steered his horse lower to the ground. He had becomes an expert with this toy in the past year. It could now carry more than one passenger and could fly diagonally, sideways, and upside down. Not to mention his landings have greatly improved.

He landed by Kaede's house, seeing Sango outside airing sheets by the brown hut. His little horse reverted back into toy size with a _pop!_ The fox-demon ran to Sango, overfilled with joy at seeing her after such a long time.

"Sango! Sango! Sango!" He shrieked, jumping up to her, his chubby hands clutching onto her kimono. The demon slayer was startled, but caught Shippo in her arms, hugging him and smiling brightly, glad to see him. Shippo noticed how large her belly had become since he last saw her.

"Shippo! It's been so long! How was your training?" She asked, chuckling at the boy's energetic greeting. Shippo studied her features, she had dark circles under her eyes, as though she had barely slept.

"It was amazing! I'm gonna jump ten ranks next exam, I know it!" He said, climbing up to Sango's shoulder. He sniffed the air, looking for Inuyasha. As much as Shippo wanted to prank his irate friend, he also wanted to tell the half-demon all about his fun time up north.

"Where's Inuyasha?" He asked. Sango stiffened underneath him. Pausing before speaking.

"Oh, Shippo..." Sango said. The little demon could smell salty tears forming in her eyes. This couldn't be good.

"What happened? Is he okay? Is he dead!?" He couldn't be dead, could he? That was an impossible thing for his half-demon friend.

"No, no, he's not dead. But, Shippo, I have to explain something to you," she said, wiping away the tears on her face.

"Here, let's go into Kaede's, we can talk there," Sango suggested, stepping to the hut, Shippo in her arms.

* * *

Sango had explained everything to the little fox-demon, but he still didn't believe it. Demons don't just get sick, especially Inuyasha. To Shippo, Inuyasha was an immortal figure in his life, always there to save the day and protect him. The demon slayer had been very clear to Shippo to not pull any tricks on his friend until he was better. She had said that it may be months before he gets his strength back, if he even ever will.

The fox-demon didn't want to believe any of her words until he saw for his own eyes. Even when both Rin and Kaede confirmed Sango's story, he still didn't want it to be true.

"I want to see him," Shippo demanded. He wouldn't take no for an answer. His friend was sick, and he wanted to be there!

At first Kaede wasn't very keen on letting him near; being so little he could easily catch whatever the hanyou had. But Sango and Shippo both thought it'd be best for Inuyasha to see him, and she had reluctantly agreed, on the terms that the second Shippo so much as coughed, he would leave the half-demon's side.

So Sango and Shippo made the short walk over to the hut Inuyasha was now cooped up in. Shippo was trepidatious at first, what will Inuyasha look like? Will he be awake? What if he died before I got to see him? The fox demon swallowed down his fears for now, following Sango into the small house.

"Inuyasha, Shippo is here," Sango informed the sickly being. Miroku was by his side, speaking with him when they entered.

Inuyasha looked about ready to die. His sunken eye sockets appeared like those of a corpse, and his pupils were dulled over, making his bright golden color into a deep amber. His skin, pale as snow, had small bruises over his arms, a sign of weak blood cells. And the white yukata he wore, one that would usually fit him just perfectly, hung around his skinny frame. The half-demon smiled, weakly but brightly, when he saw the young fox.

"Shippo! Come here," Inuyasha said quietly, motioning with his thin hand to come sit. Miroku smiled at Shippo as well.

"Its good to see you, Shippo," Miroku said, placing a hand on his little head when he approached.

"You've grown, haven't you," The monk commented. Shippo gulped, but remained silent, his eyes fixated on Inuyasha. Even Inuyasha's voice was different, hoarse and lacking energy. He gaped at the half-demon, shocked at how much he had deteriorated in his absence.

"Hey, Runt," Inuyasha said, trying to break the little fox out of his stunned trance with the nickname he despised. Shippo couldn't take it, seeing the hanyou's sick form. He ran at Inuyasha, jumping and catching him in a huge hug, tears glistening on his chubby cheeks.

"Inuyasha! Why didn't you tell me you were sick? I coulda come home!" He blubbered uncontrollably, speaking nonsense. Inuyasha gasped at the surprise hug-attack; the fox was light, but the weight didn't help the pressure he felt in his lungs at all. Miroku moved forward to take the young demon off of Inuyasha's pained chest, but the hanyou waved him off, instead adjusting Shippo so he wasn't cutting off air supply. Inuyasha was never one to sense the atmosphere, but he could tell Shippo was distraught and needed reassurance from him. A loud crack of thunder sounded from outside as the night settled in.

Shippo was startled by the bang, squeezing Inuyasha harder, his chubby hands hurting, but not doing any real damage to the half-demon.

Inuyasha clutched him, much like Kagome once did when the fox was scared, providing comfort to the little demon. Shippo's face upon seeing the hanyou had disturbed Inuyasha greatly, was he really that sickly looking? Inuyasha hadn't seen himself in weeks, but he could imagine he looked as shriveled and weak as he felt. Inuyasha didn't want any sympathy from Shippo, but he held on to the little fox, letting him know he wasn't going anywhere.

For now.

**A/N: I'm not sure I'll get the next chapter done by tomorrow, but I'll do my best. I promised myself daily updates and I'm gonna stay true to that! Thank you for reading, any comments/suggestions you want to share will be highly appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

_"Kagome! Where are you!?"_

Inuyasha's panicked voiced rang out throughout the darkness he was entrapped in. He had jumped into his Meido he created out of desperation where the well once stood. His mission, to save Kagome from her imprisonment in the Shikon Jewel at all costs. So far, he had only found endless hoards of demons, all of them resembling Naraku in some strange way.

"You won't find your precious Kagome here," a centipede demon slithered out, its face held the same features as Inuyasha's most hated foe.

"We've already done her in like we did Kikyo," a particularly ugly beast said, its body like that of the dark hanyou, but with a head of some sort of boar demon.

"Lies! Tell me where she is!" Inuyasha demanded, veins popping in rage. The only reply was laughter; hundreds and hundreds of demons, laughing at him in that same, devilish voice. The cackling was defeating, Inuyasha raised his hands to his head, his sword dropping out of his hand from the loud noise and reaching to his ears. Blocking out the sound was futile, it felt as though the cackling came from inside of him as well as from all the demons. From somewhere to his right, one of the Naraku doppelgängers pierced his chest, and pain exploded throughout his abdomen, making it downright impossible to breathe. Inuyasha cried out.

The demon that pierced his flesh moved closer, the hanyou still impaled on a tentacle now drenched in blood. He smirked.

"And to think Kagome relied on the likes of you to protect her, you filthy half-demon," Inuyasha didn't need to look to tell this was the real Naraku. His face was inches from his own, breath pouring miasma like an overflowing water fall. Inuyasha sputtered, his eyes closed, suffocating from the toxins he was forced to inhale.

"Do you want to see your little priestess wannabe? Her corpse can still be recognized if you stare long enough," Naraku said, forcing the hanyou to look at what was in the demi-spider demon's tentacle hands, smirking at the half-demon's reaction.

_Kagome!_

Inuyasha screamed louder than he had ever before. In the evil hands was a mutilated corpse. Kagome's body looked as though it had been burned, the skin blistering and infected. Puss oozed from Kagome's eye sockets, the beautiful brown eyes Inuyasha loved gone. The only way he could tell it was Kagome was her torn and bloodied school uniform and dark ebony hair. It was sickening, he looked away, tears forming at the sight of the mutilated beauty he had loved so dearly. Naraku's smirking turned to loud, evil laughter at the sight of the half-breed, terrified and completely at his mercy.

"Are you sad, Inuyasha? Don't be so distraught, you'll look just like her in a minute," Inuyasha's lungs were burning for air, he struggled against the appendage in his chest and tried to turn away from the miasma breath pouring over his face. It was too much. He could no longer take it.

He couldn't breathe. It was the hanyou's suffocation that brought him back to the waking world, choking and coughing on the mucus that had built in his chest, the laughter still mocking him even though he was no longer lost in his dark dream.

Two pairs of hands were instantly at his side moments after he awoke screaming, helping him sit up from his prone position. He hacked violently, his sides heaving from the effort. Metallic blood overflowed from his mouth, and he coughed it out, choking at the taste. He could feel Sango's hands on his back, soothing him by massaging small circular motions. In his disoriented state he did nothing to hide his terror from the dream, it was so realistic he was having a hard time deciphering if it had actually occurred or not. He was sure even the humans in the room could sense the fear drifting off him in waves.

When the rigorous coughs died down Inuyasha was sweating and panting heavily. Miroku was there to keep him from falling over and leaned him against the wall so he wouldn't choke on his blood. Inuyasha's head was on fire, and he started babbling, delirious.

"She's dead!" Inuyasha exclaimed, tears welling in his eyes. He could hear Sango, Miroku, and Shippo talking to him, trying to calm him down from his frenzied fevered state.

"Kagome is dead, and I didn't save her! She's dead, she never made it back," he murmured over and over again, as cool rags were pressed against his skin, soothing and relieving his body. The mumbling slowed down and eventually stopped as the caring hands brought his fever down a few degrees. The voices talking into his twitching white ears starting making sense as his mind cleared slowly.

"Inuyasha, it's okay, we're right here. Kagome isn't dead, she's back home," These gentle phrases, both comforting and persuasive, brought Inuyasha back into his right state of mind. He began to apologize.

"Sorry I woke you," he said, realizing from the window's pitch black sky that it must have been a few hours past midnight. His voice was terribly scratchy when he spoke, and he could feel the blood covering his teeth and chin.

"You were screaming in your sleep, Inuyasha," Shippo informed, sitting on his lap, shaken from what had occurred. Sango wiped his mouth with a wet cloth, the notion reminding him of how Kagome would do the same when his face was covered in the futuristic food he loved, Ramen.

"Don't apologize, it can't be helped if you were having a nightmare," she said, giving him a weak smile, the coughing up blood had scared her, but she didn't want to worry Inuyasha. So she did her best at a reassuring expression for the hanyou. Miroku seemed lost in thought.

"Inuyasha, would you like to talk about your dream?" He finally said. Inuyasha thought for a moment. He didn't want to scare Shippo and Sango with his terrifying dream. It wasn't for the women or children's ears.

"No, not really," he said, his eyelids heavy. Miroku frowned, but decided that sleep was the best thing for the exhausted half-demon.

"Why don't you close your eyes? Try sleeping sitting up like this so you can breathe better," Sango suggested as she poured for him a cup of water from the clean basin by her side. Inuyasha nodded, and drank the cool liquid when offered to his parched lips. It helped the metallic taste leave his mouth, something he was grateful for. Sleep found him quickly aftert hat, too tired to speak anymore.

* * *

"Sango, would you please step outside with me for a moment?" Miroku asked once he was sure Inuyasha had fallen asleep. She nodded, standing and asking Shippo to keep and eye on the hanyou. The fox had slept curled up by Inuyasha, not leaving his side throughout the night. Shippo nodded as Sango followed her husband out of the hut, keeping silent vigil over the sleeping half-demon.

Miroku had heard Inuyasha call out in his nightmares numerous times in the past few weeks. All of his shrieks were always on the same subject: Kagome. More specifically, when the hanyou woke up from a more terrifying dream, he would sometimes babble about how he was too late to save Kagome; how Naraku had slain her right in front of his eyes. The Inuyasha that Miroku knew wouldn't forget the barriers between reality and dream worlds so easily. Could there have been something that Inuyasha didn't tell his friends when he returned back from entering the Meido?

Miroku led Sango to a bench along one of the village paths, far enough to not be overheard, but close enough to their house incase an emergency occurred. As he sat down with Sango he couldn't help but notice the dark circles under her eyes. He wished that she didn't have to work so hard, especially with the baby on the way. The monk did his best to keep his wife from straining herself during her pregnancy, but it still wasn't enough with all the emotional trauma the two were going through with their best friend.

"What is it, Miroku?" She asked, impatient from his continued silence as Miroku collected his thoughts.

"Sango, when Inuyasha returned from the Meido, and the well returned after those three days last year, do you think he was being truthful with what he said?" Sango stared for a moment, not catching on to his meaning.

"What are you talking about?"

"Inuyasha told me that Kagome had returned home, and that there were others who loved and needed her. Since that day, he hasn't mentioned anything else about her fate. Could it be she was lost forever in that strange world? Did she disappear along with the Shikon no Tama before Inuyasha could save her?"

"Miroku! That's impossible! Why would Inuyasha lie to us about something as important as our friend's death!?" Sango was appalled, Kagome couldn't be dead, Inuyasha's nightmares were just fever dreams, nothing more.

"Just think about it for a moment, Sango. He calls out almost every night, screaming about Kagome, moaning about how he wasn't there, how he was too late. Maybe he is still emotionally traumatized by this, and is reflecting on it in his dreams," Miroku said. Sango grew quiet, listening to his words carefully.

"Could it be that Inuyasha was only telling us Kagome was safe in her world just to keep us from mourning over her death?" The monk asked.

Sango stiffened at his question, her eyes watering. It _was_ something that the hanyou would do to protect his friends, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Kagome wasn't dead!

"I'm sorry, Sango. I know I shouldn't have told you this so soon, especially in your condition," Miroku said, bringing his arms around Sango, trying to comfort her in a loving embrace. He was shocked when Sango pushed away, her face contorted in anger.

"You're _wrong,_ Miroku!" She said, standing up and pointing an enraged finger at him.

"Kagome isn't dead! Inuyasha said he saved her, and I believe that! She is safe! I know it!" Sango continued, tears streaming down her face. Miroku instantly felt guilty; telling her this might not have been the best idea, especially with the baby on the way and the stress the two had been going through.

"Sango, I'm sorr-"

"Don't apologize," she interrupted, arms folding over her bulging abdomen.

"You've already told me what you think, and I won't hear any more of it," she said stomping back to the house. He rose from his seat, reaching for her shoulder to try and bring her down from her distressed state.

"Don't follow me!" She snapped, walking faster and pulling away from him, stomping back into the hut in a huff. Miroku's outstretched hand lingered in the cool night air a moment longer, guilt overflowing his body. Crestfallen, he sat back down on the bench, ready to wait for the sunrise on the cool stone seat.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Finals are starting at my school, so I hadn't been able to focus on this story. Things will be alright again on Friday, expect updates by then. I have finally set a story planner for this fanfic, so I am numerous chapters ahead in planning, a brilliant time saver for me. **

Ch. 10

Sango awoke that morning after one of the worst nights of sleep she's had yet. She was confused at first to see Miroku's absence, but remembering their talk last night replaced that confusion with her still bubbling anger. _How could Miroku say that to me?_ she asked herself._ Inuyasha is ill, and the only thing he cares about is if he's a liar!_

The demon slayer dragged herself out of her sheets, exhausted but ready to face the day. Looking over to Inuyasha, she saw he was sleeping soundly, Shippo curled on his lap. After coughing up all that blood, it seemed to have helped clear Inuyasha's lungs, his rasping breaths weren't as hard and loud as they usually were.

Sango shivered, remembering the horror scene that had occurred. But what was worse than the blood, worse than the shaking of the hanyou's sides as he choked and sputtered, was Inuyasha's haunted eyes and fearful shouts. What he had said had shaken Sango terribly.

Sango stood, walking over to crouch by Inuyasha as she fixed her hair into her usual knot. The bruises over the half-demon's pale skin made it appear as if he had been in a fistfight recently. His hair was sticky from sweat, he'd probably need a bath later today, if he was up for it. After straightening her black locks into a presentable position, she stood, stepping out of the small doorway. She planned to go straight to Kaede's and tell her about last night. Hopefully, she'd have something to ease Inuyasha's sore throat and coughing. Pulling back the door she stepped out into the cool air, the rain that fell from last evening until midnight had moistened the ground, making it damp and squishy as she placed her straw sandals on the dirt path.

Miroku still sat on the bench she had left him on, his eyes closed in meditation. Sango cringed. Had he stayed there the whole night? He didn't seem to notice her as she hurriedly walked by. Guilt suddenly raked through her brain. The monk was only voicing his concerns about the half-demon, and she had spat his face for even considering that Kagome wasn't back in her world. They were both worried, and that had been the cause of Sango's rage and frustration last evening. She promised herself to be the one to apologize to her spouse as she scurried to Kaede's, leaving Miroku to his thoughts for the time being, too embarrassed by her actions to approach him just yet.

"Kaede-baba?" Sango called out. After receiving a reply she entered. Rin and Kaede were pressing herbs, drying them for use in colder seasons. Rin jumped up at Sango's presence.

"Good morning, Sango! How is Inuyasha doing today?" She said, bowing just like Kaede had taught her.

"He's improving very quickly, actually! Thank you for you concern, Rin," she lied, smiling brightly at the little girl, and bowing in return. It wouldn't do any good to tell the child that there had been no changes for the hanyou other than last night.

"Kaede, I'd like to speak with you about Inuyasha," she said, turning to the elderly priestess. Kaede nodded, before asking Rin to go deliver some medicines to the villagers. Once the girl happily ran off to complete her task, Sango explained what had happened to Inuyasha last night. She also told Kaede about Miroku's fears and contemplations.

* * *

Kaede had thought hard about Sango's chilling words. Coughing up blood was never good. Her last patient that'd had this happen to them had passed away quickly after. Inuyasha's condition was always wavering; who knew how exhausted he was from the constant struggle?

The old woman knew the weakening half-demon needed a strong medicine to help him fight off the disease, or else he'd no longer have the strength to keep himself alive. She had been working on ideas to treat his illness, and so far she has made fairly good progress with her concoctions. Using herbs that were usually used to treat common flus and viruses as a base, she had added on other healing plants and saps; Kaede was only a few herbs away from a final product.

"You must try to keep Inuyasha comfortable, Sango. He's probably weakening after such a long period of illness, which is definitely not a good thing," she told the pregnant woman. Kaede then explained to her the medicines she was developing, and Sango was very relieved there was at least something that could help her friend.

"Do... Do you think-" the demon slayer started, before pausing. Kaede could sense her discomfort.

"What is it, child?" The old woman persuaded.

"It's just... do you think Inuyasha is going to be okay?" Sango asked, biting her lip and looking down at her hands.

"Sango, dear, Inuyasha is a fighter. Don't ever forget about the warrior spirit that lives in his heart. Don't lose faith in him," she consoled, giving her the best advice she could in the situation.

Sango smiled, still worried, but grateful for the comforting thought.

"Yes, but... Even if he recovers, even if he can get all his strength back, do you think he will move on emotionally? Do you think he can ever move on from Kagome?" Sango said, admitting her fears.

Even before his illness he had been terribly saddened by Kagome's absence. Everyday he would spend hours away from his friends, secluding himself to the well and Kagome's lingering presence around the mystical structure. Maybe this could have just been his breaking point, when he couldn't hide his hide his longings for his beloved any longer?

A long pause filled the room before Sango received a reply. The old woman finally broke the silence.

"I believe that if Inuyasha can realize that it's time to move on, he will. I know he can, Sango. Its only a matter of time," she supplied.

Sango agreed. Inuyasha always came through in the end, who's to says he wouldn't now?

"Kaede-baba," Sango added, what do you think about the things Miroku said to me last night. Is Inuyasha lying about Kagome being safe in her own world?" The question that had been on her mind finally slipped through her tongue, she couldn't help but ask.

Kaede looked up from her herbs. "Why, Sango! When is the last time you came to me about your back troubles? A young pregnant woman like you shouldn't be working all day without having regular check-ups," The priestess couldn't answer the troubling question, simply because she didn't know what to say herself. It was to Miroku whom Inuyasha had shared what had happened to the futuristic girl, and if Miroku judged the hanyou to be lying, who was she to accept or deny?

Sango seemed stunned at the sudden change in topic, but nodded anyway, going along with the new subject. Kaede was glad the woman didn't press further into the grim matter.

* * *

For the rest of the day Sango and Miroku didn't speak more than two words to each other. The two had gone about their business as though the other wasn't even there. At dinner, Sango had had given him his rice and vegetables without even a glance. Miroku had tried many times to approach his wife, but only to lose his courage at the last moment. He felt terrible about everything. If only he kept his thoughts to himself!

But if there were anyone who felt worse than the monk, it was Sango. She should never had kicked him out for something like that, especially with what they were going through. When she had finished her meal, and helped Inuyasha manage his own, she had called upon her husband. It was time to talk.

"Miroku," Sango said, breaking their silence.

"Yes, Sango?" Miroku was glad she had spoken to him finally, although apprehensive at what she had to say.

"Please, step outside with me for a moment."

Miroku followed her out of the hut. She had brought them far enough so they wouldn't be overheard by either Shippo or Inuyasha.

"Um... Miroku, I wanted t-to tell you," Sango stuttered out as her apology dictated itself in her head.

"Miroku, I'm sorry," she finally said.

"I shouldn't have made you stay outside all night. I know you're as worried as I am and-"

Sango was cut off as Miroku pulled his wife into a tight embrace, glad she was no longer mad.

"No, don't you apologize to me. I'm the one who should be sorry, I came out and said those absurd thoughts to you, and I know we shouldn't be focusing on those terrible things."

Sango blushed. She had made up her mind to make things up with him, but it turned out that the monk was the one consoling her. As usual.

"Inuyasha needs us now, Sango. Let's put our own struggles aside for him," Miroku resolved. Sango nodded, nuzzling into her husbands shoulder. The moment would have been perfect, a moment that defined her marriage with this perfect man, had it not been for-

_Slap!_

Miroku rubbed his swelling cheek. Sango couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the nostalgic moment.

"My, Sango. It's been ages since you've done that to me," he whined, pouting slightly. Sango laughed loudly, glad that the tension with her husband had finally been settled.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Finals are over, but I am sick. Expect updates a tad slower than usual, please. Apologies for shortness.**

Ch. 11

A rising sun greeted them all the next day.

Inuyasha groaned when Kaede forced her terrible tasting medicines down his dry throat. He felt terrible, chained down to the confines of the house and unable to do much other than eat and sleep. Even just a glimpse outside would make him feel much better.

He had wanted to get out of the hut for days. But he had always felt too nauseous whenever he stood, and it was this that almost made had passed out the other morning. Today was different; he felt lighter and the nauseousness wasn't as intense when he sat up, he barely felt anything!

He called Miroku over, asking him in a hoarse voice if he would let him out of the suffocating hut. He had agreed, as long as if he took it easy.

Inuyasha was relieved, he was never very comfortable with staying indoors for too long. He had his wild childhood and dog demon ancestors to thank for that. Small spaces made him edgy and restless, it was in the treetops and with nature where Inuyasha felt most comfortable.

Inuyasha didn't go far from the hut that afternoon. He embarrassingly needed to lean on Miroku for support to walk the short distance. At first, extreme vertigo hit him at the sudden movements, but he brushed it off. This was the best he had been feeling in weeks, and it was time for some exercise!

Miroku had settled Inuyasha down at the base of a tree kilometers away from the hut. The sky was very clear, and the spring flowers had begun to bloom. It was perfect day to be out. Shippo was picking daisies nearby for Sango, bouncing happily around the field of white flowers and humming a joyful tune. Inuyasha had forgotten how peaceful it could be outside.

The monk sat down by the tree a yard away from the half-demon, letting out one of his famous sighs as he settled.

"How are you fairing today?" He asked.

"Feh. 'Feeling the best I've ever been in my life," Inuyasha replied sarcastically.

"Well, you do look a little better today, Inuyasha. Maybe your head's finally clearing up, hm?"

"Yeah, maybe that old bag Kaede is good for something, I guess,"

"Watch the way you speak about your elders,"

Inuyasha snorted.

The two chatted like this for a while, the first time in days that Inuyasha spoke more than a mere few sentences. Kaede's medicines must have helped him tremendously. He felt great, not sitting in that boring bed accompanied only by his thoughts and nightmares...

"Inuyasha, what do you dream about?" Miroku suddenly asked him. Inuyasha's ears twitched. Why'd Miroku have to be so curious about everything?

"Not much..." He lied.

"About Kagome, right?"

_Damn, this guy is sharp, _he thought. Inuyasha looked down, not wanting to lie, but also not wanting to agree with him, either.

"How'd you know that?" He finally said.

"You have called out in your sleep. Please, Inuyasha, could you tell me what happens in your nightmares. I want to help you overcome them somehow," Miroku persuaded.

Inuyasha sighed, he was tired of thinking of the horrid dreams, but he knew Miroku would persist until he explained them. What would the monk think of Inuyasha's lapsing memory? Inuyasha took a deep breath if air. If Miroku hated him after this that was his problem.

He made up his mind and told what had been happening. The dreams, the memories, his lost confidence in Kagome's safety, everything.

* * *

Something was very strange. Miroku was especially worried to find that Inuyasha couldn't remember anyone except Kagome. Was it Inuyasha's own mind blocking these memories out or could it be something more sinister?

But what Miroku found even more terrifying than Inuyasha's memory lapse was the hauntingly frightening nightmares. Inuyasha had only described to him a few, but they were chilling nonetheless. To have a nightmare this intense, and still remember every detail by the morning, was something that could make a person go insane.

"You don't remember anything about me and Sango during the quest for Naraku at all?" He asked.

"... I forget more and more everyday. Maybe I will if this continues, but..." Inuyasha trailed off at that point, staring off in the distance lost in thought. It was an unsatisfying answer for Miroku.

"And what about Kagome? You're sure you don't know what happened?"

"Uh, yeah. Before all this, she was safe in her time, I believed. But these dreams... They're making me think, maybe she isn't? Maybe this is what really happened, and my mind was just protecting itself."

Inuyasha turned away, looking down at the grass. The half-demon had changed, Miroku assessed. He had lost his arrogance some point along the way during his illness, leaving for a much sadder atmosphere around the hanyou. Miroku hoped that he would return to his normal self once he recovers. He didn't think he could endure anymore of this terrible virus.

"Inuyasha, I think that maybe this is all in your head. If you only think Kagome may be dead because of your dreams, it's very likely that what you once told me was true."

Inuyasha swallowed, not looking convinced.

"She is safe, my friend. There are others that need and love her as well as you, remember that."

Miroku reassured his friend, and at the same time reassured himself. The day was too beautiful to worry about these things right now. These dark thoughts could be saved for later, what was important now was Inuyasha's recovery.

"... Thanks, Miroku."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I hoped I portrayed this chapter as well as I intended to. Please be patient for next update.**

Ch. 12

The fight with Naraku was going extremely well. They were fighting in a rocky environment, with a large steep edge at the far end of the battle field, a perfect place to corner someone. The canyon wasn't an ideal spot for a fight, at least not for the person on the losing side. Inuyasha had pushed his nemesis against the edge of a canyon wall, leaving no escape for the dark hanyou. Inuyasha smirked.

He was winning.

Endless tendrils came shooting at the dog-demon boy, but they were easily cut by his phantom sword. Naraku's echoing laughter shot around the battlefield, even in his dire situation he still cackled maniacally. It was very aggravating to Inuyasha.

_The damn bastard is losing, so why the hell is he still acting so smug!?_

Kagome was nowhere to be found. Was she in her time? Or did something happen to the modern schoolgirl? Whatever the case, Inuyasha was alone. He dodged the tentacles and attacks swiftly, closing in on his enemy's twisted demonic body.

Naraku was dressed in his baboon cloak, his signature appendages flowing from the white pelt. He almost looked like one of the demonic puppets he controlled, and, had the demonic aura resonating off the dark half-demon not been there, he might as well have been. Inuyasha kicked one foot off the ground, soaring in the air, his Tetsusaiga held over his head for a final blow. Naraku was out of options, now was the time to go in for the kill!

He leaped in the breeze, his sword aching to pierce the flesh of the hated demon. Naraku laughed even louder, his face hidden beneath the demonic baboon mask. Inuyasha could imagine his smirking face, and it angered him at how smug Naraku was pretending to be.

_Just admit defeat already, dammit!_

Inuyasha brought Tetsusaiga down upon the demon, anticipating that satisfying feel of flesh against steel. Surprisingly, Naraku turned his head as the sword cut through his pelt covering, revealing the nasty demon. But what was uncovered wasn't Naraku-

It was Kagome.

Inuyasha gasped. Naraku must have been disguised as her, just to play with his head. It made the half-demon boil with rage at the thought.

'Kagome' cackled, her voice still the same as the evil mastermind. Tendrils from the monster's body moved, wrapping themselves around the hanyou before his body could land back on the stone ground. They squeezed his arms, legs, and neck, making him drop his phantom sword. The appendages moved him closer, forcing him to be a mere inches away from the creature's sickeningly familiar face.

"Inuyasha," the voice was unmistakably Kagome's, although Naraku's ugly tone could be heard beneath it.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping your heart out, my sweet," the monster hissed, 'Kagome's' face twisting into a smile that mocked the ones that Kagome had given him on many occasions. It was disgusting.

"I'd like to see you try!" He spat, eyes watering at the miasma leaking from the beast's mouth. The poisonous gas was making it increasingly hard to breath, and the tentacle constricting around his throat wasn't helping, either. He internally cursed at the bastard's miasma; without it Naraku would have been much easier to finish off.

The Kagome's soft, mocking, smile turned to something more sinister at the hanyou's sharp retort. Naraku seemed to get some sort if sick pleasure out of watching Inuyasha resist and squirm. The demon's tentacles shot through his back, the pain erupting over his shoulder blades and spine.

'Kagome' moved closer, Inuyasha was elevated in the air by the appendages, and could not turn away from the startlingly close clone of his loved one. He was winning moments ago, how had the tables turned so quickly?

Naraku's tentacles threw Inuyasha to the floor, and a muffled groan passed the hanyou's lips when his painful wounds hit against the stone ground.

The evil laughter resonated through Inuyasha's head, making it seem as though the evil spider was inside his mind.

"How's it feel to be slain by the woman you love... Again?" Naraku said, imitating Kagome's voice perfectly behind the mask of her he wore.

Pincers from the baboon pelt's back reached, stretching and snapping, before plunging into the half-demon below, stabbing Inuyasha to the stones beneath. There was no escape.

Inuyasha growled, defiant in the face of death.

The disgusting tentacles surged towards the half-demon, and he closed his eyes. Kagome's face the last thing he saw, twisted with rage and mouth leaking purple miasma.

This was the end for him.

_"Hiraikotsu!"_

A beige object flew in the air, spinning wildly in a beeline towards the appendages. Inuyasha gasped fresh air as Naraku backed away from the hanyou, dodging the boomerang bone. Inuyasha coughed, the weight now off his lungs, making it breathable again. He turned to see his rescuer.

She was riding a two-tailed demon cat, and she was faceless. The boomerang bone flew back into the woman's hands as the cat brought her closer in range. Behind this demon slaying woman, a monk rode alongside, one hand reaching for sacred sutras in his robe, the other clutching a golden staff. Both of the human's faces were missing. Inuyasha rose to his feet, the demon slayer calling to him.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay?" She screamed from her perch on the demon's back as it dodged left and right from Naraku's attacks. Inuyasha remained silent, slightly dazed from the miasma poisoning.

The monk threw a handful of sacred sutras at the baboon pelt that covered Naraku's upper body, sizzling and bubbling on the furry cloak. Naraku hissed his voice returning to that of his own.

The demon slayer's Hiraikotsu flung at the evil hanyou's head, the distraction from the sutras enough to throw the bone without Naraku noticing. It was a perfect toss.

The boomerang sliced the evil demon's body in two, separating the chest from the rest of the body.

Relief washed over Inuyasha as Naraku, still using Kagome's face hollered in pain, obviously too injured to continue battle. Miasma flooded the area, Inuyasha covered his mouth with his red haori and sputtered. When all the purple toxins dissipated, Naraku had disappeared.

"Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha, are you alright?"

The two called out to him, speaking too fast for him to understand. The cat-demon landed by his side.

Who were these people? And why were they faceless?

Darkness started to surround the half-demon as the unrecognizable duo approached him, his vision blurring. The last thing he saw were the faceless figures as he collapsed to the ground.

_Inuyasha!_

_Inuyasha!_

Put a line break here!

"Inuyasha!"

The hanyou blinked awake, dazed at the sudden change. The dream, as well as the pain, was so real Inuyasha had trouble deciphering the reality from it. Inuyasha turned his head on his pillow to see Shippo at his right, eyes wide and calling his name.

"What's wrong?"

"You were tossing around in your sleep, was it another nightmare?" Shippo was frightened. He had been awakened by Inuyasha tossing and twisting, and not for the first time, either.

"Yeah, it was. But it's alright," he said, not wanting the fox child to worry about him.

"Did I wake you up?" It must have been very late, the sky was pitch black. Miroku and Sango were asleep on their bedroll, snoring quietly. Shippo nodded, he had been sleeping with Inuyasha on his futon that night, instead of with Sango and Miroku like he usually would. The hut that he and Inuyasha usually stayed at was much too lonely for the little fox.

"What did you dream about?" He asked, curious as to what made Inuyasha toss around so much in his sleep.

"It was about... Naraku."

Shippo shuddered at the name of the fallen enemy. The battle with the ferocious demon seemed like ages ago, but memories of their final battle and all the struggles it took to bring him down still frightened the young demon. He had to admit he admired the half-demon for facing the dark hanyou so fearlessly.

Inuyasha told Shippo very little about the dream, mentioning only about the beginnings of the battle, how close he was to winning. He also said a small bit about the people who helped him, faceless and mysterious. Inuyasha had sat up against the wall while explaining, the two youkai no longer tired anymore.

"Were the people that helped you Miroku and Sango?" The fox asked when Inuyasha explained to him the two humans. Inuyasha paused for a moment, his expression unreadable.

"I guess," he finally said, keeping his voice low.

"Was Kagome there?"

Shippo asked to many questions, Inuyasha decided. Had it not been so late, and had his arm not felt so weak, he might have whacked the fox-demon just to shut him up. Instead, he answered the child's question.

"No, not this time." It was true that Kagome's image was there, but only because Naraku had disguised himself as her. He didn't feel like sharing that information with Shippo tonight.

"Do you miss Kagome?" The fox demon asked. Inuyasha's eyebrows twitched, the fox's questions becoming very irritating, it made his head hurt.

"Well, do _you_ miss Kagome?" He retorted.

"Of course I miss her!" Shippo exclaimed, before remembering the sleeping people also occupying the room. His voice dropped back to a hushed tone.

"I miss her so much, Inuyasha. I think about her whenever I am sad or alone," Shippo sniffled.

Shippo missed Kagome's caring hands, the way she'd hold him when he was scared, her smile...

He missed everything about his guardian. When she had left, at first he thought about how lonely it will be without her. It took many weeks to overcome his mourning for her. He realized that he might have lost one friend, but there were still many left in this world who he loved and they loved him in return.

"When my papa died, I thought to myself, 'I'm gonna be alone from now on,'" he explained to Inuyasha.

"But, when I met you and Kagome, and started traveling with you guys, I realized that'll never be true."

The welled up tears at the bottom of young Shippo's eyes were rubbed away by his chubby hands. Inuyasha's lips parted, he had never known Shippo had felt that way.

"Kagome may be gone now, but Sango and Miroku are still here, Inuyasha. We will never be alone," Shippo looked down at his hands, twirling his fingers around each other. He knew that before Inuyasha had become sick, he had sat by the Bone Eater's well for hours each day. When Inuyasha recovers, Shippo didn't want to see his friend return to the depressing schedule he once kept.

A long silence passed between the two, punctured only by the soft breaths of their sleeping companions. Inuyasha sighed.

"It's late, Shippo, we should probably go back to sleep before we wake the others up," he said, laying back down on the white sheets. Shippo followed suit.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha," he said, laying by the half-demon's side.

"Feh," he replied, turning over.

Shippo smiled at the nighttime farewell, it reminded him oft he times when they had all camped side by side each night. He had forgotten how much he missed those fun times together with Inuyasha.


End file.
